


You're Beautiful (Can I Hide In You Awhile?)

by ThisMasterpieceIsOnlyMine



Category: American Horror Story: Apocalypse, American Horror Story: Coven
Genre: Alternatively titled: greenhouse and domestic sweetness, Cordelia is just self conscious and soft, F/F, Fluff, and Misty just wants her to know how wonderful she is, like they're sugary sweet and lost in their own world, what is this 2013???? Apparently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 02:30:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20074651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisMasterpieceIsOnlyMine/pseuds/ThisMasterpieceIsOnlyMine
Summary: My version of events leading up to Cordelia and Misty getting together during Coven, and when Cordelia's sight is restored for the first time.Title from Masterpiece Theatre I by Marianas Trench.





	1. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late one night, feelings of all kinds are brought to light in the privacy and safety of the greenhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first got into these two adorable witchy gays, I read so many of these works involving Cordelia getting her sight back and Misty being by her side, and I finally decided to write my own version. If you're one of those people who's posted one of those before, thank you for the inspiration ✨

They had been in the greenhouse for hours. Cordelia had offered to teach Misty a few new incantations early in the afternoon, but the two witches had talked and worked and completely lost track of the time, and eventually realized they had worked all the way through dinnertime and had decided to just grab something from the house to eat together amongst the flowers and remedies they'd been working on. It was now almost ten at night, and Misty found herself yawning as she helped the sightless headmistress pack away their books and tools from their lesson, keeping a hand pressed to Cordelia's back to make sure she always knew which direction was the right one to move in to continue her cleanup.  
  
"Oh! Misty, you're tired! Go on to bed, I can finish here... What time is it?" Cordelia asked shyly, looking up suddenly in the direction of the sound before dropping her gaze down again almost instantly, when she became suddenly self-aware of her appearance and sensed just how close Misty was, facing her. She didn't want to scare Misty with the sight of her mangled face so up close. It was hard for Cordelia to picture the exact extent of the damage the acid attack had done to her, but between the extensive pity Myrtle piled on her and the bitchy quips Madison made every time Cordelia walked in the room, she knew it was horribly graphic and ugly, and she didn't want to put any of the girls, especially not Misty, through looking at her face too close.  
  
"It's... It's about ten, Miss Cordelia. I'm okay, I'll help ya finish--- Hey... Why're you hidin'?" She asked softly, bringing a hand up to rest on Cordelia's shoulder. "Delia...? Is everythin' okay? I know you, you always know where to turn when somebody's talkin' to ya... Why're you lookin' away from me, _cher_? Not like you got much else to look at instead!" Sweetly, she brought Cordelia's hand to her lips after the words were out, allowing her to feel the sweet smile that graced them with her fingertips as she lovingly teased her friend. Misty knew Cordelia was okay with the teasing when it came from her, recognizing that she only ever meant it as a joke to lighten the mood and to make Cordelia feel a little less alienated by her disability.  
  
Cordelia only frowned at the words, which immediately sent Misty into a total panic.  
  
"Delia? Oh, _bon dieu_, I-I'm so sorry... Was that too far? 'M so sorry, I won't joke about it again... I only ever meant... I'm sorry, please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt your feelin's..." She begged, her voice filling with sadness and regret for what she'd said. Cordelia smiled softly in response, hesitant to but still turning back to face Misty, struggling just a little but ultimately finding her way to resting her hands on Misty's strong arms and squeezing gently.  
  
"No, no! Shhh, Misty, hey... Relax. You're okay, it wasn't you! You didn't hurt my feelings, I appreciate your teasing... I know you only ever mean it to make me feel more comfortable with... With all this. It's just... You were so close, and I turned around so quickly I didn't want... I didn't want to frighten you, I know these _things_ can't be the easiest to look at up so close. That's all... Just saving you from having to look at my mangled face too much."  
  
"'O-oh, okay..." Misty sighed with a sniffle, bringing her hands up to rest over Cordelia's where they lay on her arms, "And your eyes don't frighten me, Delia. Really, it's not as bad as Miss Myrtle makes 'em sound, an' Hollywood just likes bein' a bitch to you--- Hey, it's not _mangled_. They're really not that bad... They're okay, just as long as they ain't hurtin' you, Delia... That's what matters most to me. And I'll look at your pretty face as much as I want, darlin', and there ain't nothin' you can do to stop me!" She giggled triumphantly before continuing, "How are _you_ feelin', Dee? Are they healin' up alright?"  
  
_Pretty. Did she just call me pretty?_  
  
Cordelia's heart began to pound when Misty spoke the words, unable to believe that she really thought such a thing about her scarred, cracked and swollen appearance. Misty had never known her before she was blinded, she didn't have any image of Cordelia pre-attack to base her statement on.  
  
_Does she really mean it?_  
  
"You're sweet, Misty." She smiled softly, sliding her hands down Misty's arms and taking her strong, warm hands in hers, tangling their fingers together, "Yes, they're healing. Slowly. The swelling won't ever _really_ go down and the scarring, well, it'll always be there---"  
  
"I'm not askin' for looks or our own sakes, Cordelia." Misty urged, using her full name, titleless, for the first time. "I'm askin' you if you're in any pain still. I don't care what the scarring still looks like or not, just tell me it's stopped hurtin' when you cry... 'Cause I just can't bear that. I hear you, y'know. When it's late, an' Miss Myrtle closes your door for the night an' she's far enough away... I hear ya talkin' to yourself an' then when ya start cryin'... Through the wall. The first time it happened I went to check on you, to see if somethin' had happened or if you needed help... But I just saw you touchin' em an' heard you callin' yourself all these _horrible_ things... I didn't wanna intrude, but that next day..." Her normally velvety smooth, sweet voice cracked as she spoke, practically begging for Cordelia to confide in her with the truth.  
  
"...That's when you brought me that first round of your swamp mud." Cordelia finished the thought, tears pricking her otherwise useless eyes just at the memory, and the thoughtful and seemingly out of the blue gesture that she now realized hadn't been so out of the blue after all.  
  
Misty was right, crying no longer brought her any physical discomfort or pain, thanks to the treatment she had concocted from her home and had been helping her with using twice a week. She had no idea what even was in the mud from the Louisiana swamps, or if it even was the mud that held all of those miraculous healing properties, but it was working like nothing else had so far. The scars had healed over almost instantly after less than a handful of treatments, and even though Cordelia tried so hard to keep herself from crying about it, when she _did_ succumb to a moment of self-conscious weakness the tears no longer burned as they soaked the wounds.  
  
"Yes, I guess they _are_ heali---"  
  
"You're so beautiful, Cordelia." Misty spoke suddenly, shutting Cordelia up as the surprising words fell on her ears. "You are. I know it's gotta be hard to believe, and it sounds like ya hardly believed that when you _could_ see and ya didn't have these scars, but it's true. You're beautiful in every kind of way and I just... I needed to tell ya. Needed you t'know. I-I'm gonna go to bed. G'night, Delia."  
  
Misty quickly bid her friend goodnight, barely letting her hand graze Cordelia's arm as she floated away and her nerves reached an all time high. She hadn't meant for the loving words to slip out so suddenly, but thinking about the way Cordelia had been sitting there that night Misty'd walked into the room, calling herself those awful things like _ugly_ and _monster_, broke her heart and she just _needed_ Cordelia to know just how good of a person and how beautiful she really was, scars or not.  
  
"Misty, wait---!" Cordelia tried, completely forgetting about her cane as she launched forward to try and grab ahold of Misty's shoulder or arm; Her foot catching on the stool Misty had pushed out from their worktable when she'd gotten up from it, making Cordelia trip and hit the ground before Misty could turn back around and catch her in time.  
  
"Ah, fuck! Cordelia, are you okay?! I'm so sorry! I shoulda pushed my chair in... Are you alright?"  
  
"God _damn it_!" Cordelia exclaimed suddenly, frustrated with herself and not hearing Misty's apology. She knew the chair hadn't been her own fault, but she couldn't possibly blame Misty for leaving it in her path; It had been her own stupid decision to run after Misty without her cane to guide her way safely. "Fucking _useless_..."  
  
"You stop that right now!" Misty stopped her tearfully, falling to her knees in front of her friend and gathering her in strong arms to hold her close. "You stop that awful, self-deprecatin' talk right now, Cordelia, please! You're not useless, an' you're _not_ ugly an' you're _certainly_ no monster, not even close! Yeah, I heard ya say that shit about yourself too and it's not _true_, Delia..." She sobbed, her voice rising in pitch and volume and desperate to express just how beautiful she thought Cordelia really was, inside and out.  
  
"You are an amazing witch, an awesome leader, and an incredible friend to me even though ya just met me... You're capable of so much even without your eyes! The way you work with the plants, the things you can do with combinations I never woulda even thought of and things I didn't even know had magic before, when it was just me and my shack... I learn somethin' new and amazing from you every day we spend in here, there's no end to the things you know and teach me. You're _brilliant_, and so intelligent and wise... And that's even more attractive than your pretty face. You're _not_ useless just because you fell on a chair! Hell, we all do it one time or another. Me more than most..." She giggled, catching the ghost of a smile on Cordelia's lips before continuing,  
  
"You've got no idea just how amazing you are, and, yeah, beautiful too. You are _exceptional_, Delia. In every possible way a woman could be. I know ya don't have a lotta confidence, Dee... But you should, an' if you want... I could help you work through it. You can talk to me about anything, Delia. We could... We could make this our safe place, officially? It's only ever just us here, we could make it a rule that neither of us should feel afraid to be emotional or vulnerable when we're in here? You can tell me all your troubles and I can tell you mine; Everything on the table, just between us..."  
  
Cordelia lost her breath at Misty's precious proposition and her endless string of heartfelt compliments; She had never had somebody care this much about her mental health and her feelings in her nearly thirty years of life, and it felt good. Scary--- And she panicked slightly at the thought of promising Misty complete emotional transparency--- but good.  
  
"I..." She stammered, still slightly hesitant about the offer, "Okay. Okay, Misty, I trust you. Thank you... Thank you for fighting for me to believe you, I know you would never lie to me. Please tell me you stopped crying... Please stop crying. No more tears over me, sweetheart. It's okay, I'm okay." She promised, reaching forward in a half-bungled attempt to hold Misty's face in her hands, wiping away the remnants of tears she'd cried with her thumbs. The sweet gesture made both women freeze, faces so close they could feel each other's trembling breath on their lips, shaking from the intimacy of the situation.  
  
Misty made the first move then, laying both of her hands over Cordelia's on her face and leaned in closer to her, pressing a single chaste kiss to the corner of her perfect lips. Cordelia smiled at the new contact her friend had made, and before Misty could pull back too far and break the trance forever Cordelia turned her head and, following the sound of her breath, captured Misty's lips in her own for a much deeper, electrifying real kiss.  
  
"I swear, you're an angel Misty Day..." Cordelia breathlessly verbalized the thought once they had finally pulled apart, arms still wound around each other, "I don't know what I did to deserve you, what I did to deserve _that_... But thank whatever force is out there that you showed up in my life when you did. I'd be a disaster without you."  
  
"Oh, it ain't me, Delia," Misty protested, her hand moving up to smooth over Cordelia's shining golden hair, and Cordelia could practically _feel_ her smile radiating through the way the pure and warm magical energy Misty exuded washed over her, "That's all you. I know you don't believe that or realize it yet, but everything you are with me you've always been, you just needed a lil push to let it show. That's all I was, I was just the push you needed. I'm glad I could be that, though. You deserve to thrive and feel just how wonderful you are. As for everythin' else, bein' your eyes and all that when you need me, I had to. You've been nothin' but nice to me since I showed up here, and I ain't ever turned down a person in need. It's the least I could do for you pretty well savin' my life."  
  
"We look out for each other here." Cordelia explained, still trying to catch her breath after Misty's compliments had fully stolen it, "At least, I _try_ to impart that onto the other girls... It's kind of hard to do when we've got a Supreme who's constantly trying to keep hold of her power and kill anyone who gets in her way... But I hope I can teach those girls to look out for each other, keep each other safe. There's too many witches being found dead as it is. You came back for a second chance at life, and I wasn't going to fail you again. Not like I did the first time." Cordelia sighed at that, her focusless gaze dropping to the floor as she removed her hands from Misty's back, choosing to wind them around herself instead.  
  
"You didn't fail me, Delia," Misty encouraged, her hands still lightly resting on Cordelia's hips and tracing slow, lazy circles with her fingertips there, "I didn't even know there were other people _like_ me out there. Stevie maybe, but that was it. I didn't know you to know you had even _tried_ to find me. Ain't you ever heard the phrase 'everything happens for a reason'? I know witches don't typically believe in God an' heaven an' the universe workin' in all kinds of ways an' all that, but that's how I was raised and I do still. I believe that I was meant to be found and to be burned the first time, as awful as it was... So you could see my name in the news and you would know who I am, so Zoe would know who I was when I found her, so she could lead me straight back to you... So you could protect me this time around.  
  
Fiona scares the shit outta me, and the other girls sometimes do too with all their violence and petty power struggle shit... But I know I'm safe when I'm with you. Safer than I ever coulda been in a shack in the swamps by myself. You didn't fail me, the universe just took its sweet time bringin' me to you when we both needed it most. Hell, if it'd brought me to you any sooner you mighta still been in love with that son of a bitch and I wouldn'ta gotten the chance to do _that_... Heh. Speaking of... What... What _was_ that, exactly? What... What are we now? Or are we... Or are we still just friends? I mean, I'm fine with either, if you're not ready yet to jump into somethin' more..." She questioned softly, and Cordelia reached out for her once again, intertwining her fingers with Misty's as she spoke and feeling nothing but pure adoration and sweetly nervous energy coursing through her when Cordelia touched her.  
  
"I really, really like you, Misty." Cordelia grinned, giving Misty's hands a comforting squeeze. "I have since the day Zoe brought you to me. I wouldn't have continued to kiss you just now if I didn't. I know I'm not exactly the most useful person to be with, and so much of your time will have to be spent leading me around like a stubborn puppy on a leash---"  
  
"I don't care about that. I _like_ takin' care of and helpin' you, and you're stronger than you know." Misty interrupted, bringing one of Cordelia's hands to her lips to once again feel her smile before allowing her to continue. "But anyway. Go on."  
  
"As I was _saying_," She teased, giving Misty a small, cheeky smirk, "As long as you're okay with everything that comes with being with a blind woman... And the fact that we might have to keep things low-key for awhile, at least until Fiona is out of the picture and we know we're really safe to go public together--- I wouldn't want her coming for you because you're with me and because you could potentially be the next Supreme--- Would you do me the honor of letting me take you out to dinner, Misty? To see where this goes from here?"  
  
"I was hopin' you would ask, and absolutely, wholeheartedly _yes_. I would be more than honored to go on a date with you, Delia. You've got no idea how long I've been waitin' to hear you ask that. I feel the same... I felt the same since that day too. Somethin' about the way you touched me... It set somethin' off inside me that I ain't ever felt before." Misty revealed, grinning shyly at the floor with Cordelia's fingertips still held to her face.  
  
"You're so sweet..." Cordelia sighed lovingly, wishing so badly that she could see the blush that no doubt graced Misty's cheeks, and the warmth she just knew was present in the eyes that Misty had told her just a few days prior were an oceanic shade of blue. "And I'm glad I could do that for you. God, I wish I could see you right now... There's nothing I wouldn't give to look at your gorgeous face right now. Hey... Help me up? And before we go inside... Kiss me again?"  
  
Misty quickly obliged both requests, helping Cordelia to her feet and propping her cane up against the chair beside her before taking her into her arms once more, pushing a stray lock of hair from the gloss that coated her bottom lip and ran her thumb just below it gently, tracing the outline of the pillowy flesh before her own lips replaced it. She smiled as her mouth met Cordelia's perfectly and they moved in slow syncopation, as if they were always meant to fit together someday.  
  
"One day, _cher_. Miss Myrtle will come up with somethin', I'm sure. She loves you too much to not try to get your sight back, even just a lil bit. You won't have to wait too long, I'm sure it'll happen soon, baby." Misty comforted, and Cordelia couldn't help but grin at the hint of breathlessness in her voice and the petname she let slip.  
  
"Soon isn't soon enough," Cordelia groaned, half-playfully, "I miss you. I miss you and I've never even seen you in person... How is that even possible?" She smiled almost dreamily, a little sadly, and Misty couldn't help but reach in and wrap her arms around Cordelia again warmly, holding her and protecting her and hopefully filling her up with even half of the safe, comforting warmth she had shown Misty since the moment she'd arrived.  
  
"I miss you too, honeybee. Even though I get the privilege of lookin' at your gorgeous self every day, it breaks my heart to know you feel like a piece of you is missin'. I miss that part of you too, because I know you don't feel whole without it. She'll come up with somethin', I know it, and when she does and you get to use those pretty eyes again I'll be right by your side to be the first thing you see, I promise." Misty's promise was adorable, and Cordelia knew she really meant it, sighing softly when she guided her head to rest on her chest and tightened her grip just a little, allowing Cordelia to hide away in the coziness of the hug for awhile.  
  
"You give the best hugs, you know that?"  
  
"I had an idea, judgin' from that noise you just made."  
  
"Oh, just shut up and hold me. Tease."  
  
"Don't you worry, I ain't goin' nowhere fast."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it so far, and I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'll be posting part two tomorrow evening ♡


	2. One Week Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Myrtle restores Cordelia's sight, and Misty keeps her promises.

It seemed that _one day_ had come sooner rather than later for Cordelia and her sight, as Myrtle had approached her quietly after breakfast that Wednesday morning and informed her that thanks to two "generous anonymous donors" she could restore her sight as soon as she was ready. It wasn't going to be an easy or painless process, but Myrtle had somehow emptied the house and given the girls the day off to do whatever they pleased for a few hours, to prevent anyone from hearing what was going on in that upstairs bedroom.  
  
Stubbornly though Misty remained, making good on her promise to be there for Cordelia when she awoke from the numerous spells Myrtle had placed her under during the process, pacing anxiously outside of the closed and locked bedroom door as she listened to the entire thing go down inside. The thirty minutes that followed tugged at Misty's heart, hearing Cordelia's whimpers and sobs in pain despite the spells she'd had placed on her to numb it out, and she wished so badly she could burst in there and hold her for the remainder of the process, but she knew that if she did such a thing she would just get in the way, and Myrtle would certainly scold her for interrupting.  
  
After a few moments more of struggling to decode the noise to figure out how it was going, it had finally gone quiet inside the bedroom and Myrtle appeared momentarily, giving Misty a soft smile as she left the bedroom door open just a crack.   
  
"She's resting now, poor dear... But you can go in now. Please try to take it easy, don't wake her until she wakes herself... She's bound to be a little overwhelmed when she opens her eyes and realizes she can see again. If anything seems any out of the ordinary, call for me at once. You've been a good friend to my Delia since we came back here, I'm happy that she has someone like you to look out for her."  
  
"I will Miss Myrtle, thank you for lettin' me stay with her. I promised her I'd be there when she woke up when or if this ever happened, and I don't break my promises." Misty nodded to her one final time before passing her and entering the bedroom, finding herself a little awkward and unsure of where best to place herself in the room as she came upon Cordelia's sleeping form, tucked in and snoring lightly underneath the sheets of her bed.  
  
Misty's heart leapt at the sight, seeing _her_ Cordelia looking so angelic and at peace filled her heart with so much joy, after seeing firsthand and being told just how much she had suffered throughout her blindness.   
  
They still hadn't had the chance just yet to sneak away for the dinner date Cordelia had promised her, but they had steadily continued letting their romantic relationship blossom in private moments in the greenhouse or on the front porch in the week following their heartfelt, late-night confession, glasses of wine or cups of coffee in hand each time, and it felt to Misty as though they had told each other their entire life stories by now, the good and the ugly and everything in between. It all only made her love Cordelia even more, listening to all of the things that had brought her here, to become the brave, beautiful, kind and brilliant woman that Misty knew. She had even told her so, not caring if it was societally considered "too soon" as she held Cordelia in her arms two nights previous in the middle of the backyard on their walk back from the greenhouse, kissing passionately for a few minutes before pulling back and whispering an honest _I love you_ into her ear.   
  
She hadn't said it in return, instead pulling Misty right back in to continue kissing her wildly again, a soft smile curling her lips as she did. Misty knew from the look on her face when she'd said the words that it wasn't because Cordelia didn't feel the same for her, but because it had likely taken her by surprise to hear them so soon and so genuinely from someone she felt so strongly for, and she needed just a little more time to feel okay saying it out loud with someone new. Misty understood that and didn't want to push, so she chose to refrain from the words until Cordelia said them first and instead decided to show her how she felt in little gestures throughout the day; Waking up early to brew their coffee just the way she liked it and meeting her on the front porch just as the sun rose, holding her hands and listening intently when Cordelia told stories or was teaching her something new in the greenhouse, and bidding her goodnight privately in the hall when all the other girls and Myrtle had retreated for the night, wishing her sweet dreams and leaving the softest little kiss on her lips each evening, among other small, tender little displays of love and affection throughout the week after they had declared themselves more than friends.  
  
Snapping back to reality Misty finally spied a chair at the window and moved to pick it up and place it at Cordelia's bedside, sitting in it as silently as she could and gazing upon the woman she thanked her lucky stars every day for. She bowed her head for just a moment, praying that the spells had worked and she wouldn't wake up disheartened by the results, knowing that Cordelia probably couldn't bounce back from another emotional blow like that so easily.  
  
"You'll be okay, Dee, I know it," She spoke softly, more to herself than to Cordelia, "I know it worked, it has to've worked... It's what you deserve."   
  
She cut herself off then, first hearing and then seeing the covers begin to rustle as Cordelia stirred, moaning quietly as sleep steadily left her system.   
  
"Hey there, sweetpea." Misty encouraged, looking over her shoulder to make sure the blinds were drawn before shifting her chair a little closer to the bed, reaching over to brush a few stray locks of hair off of Cordelia's face as she stretched and yawned, "It's Misty. Don't have t' open your eyes just yet if you don't want to, just take it slow. It might be a lil bright, but you're okay..."   
  
"Of course it's you darling, Queenie or Nan wouldn't be caught dead calling me _sweetpea_." She giggled, before realization seemed to hit her and the noise faded away as she recognized where they were and what she had just gone through. "I'm... I'm scared, Misty... What if it didn't work?" She said softly, so quietly in fact that Misty had almost missed it. Frowning, she reached over to where Cordelia's hand lay on the covers by her side, tangling their fingers together and squeezing tightly in the hopes it brought her comfort.  
  
"I know, honeybee. It's okay to be scared, like I said just take it slow. Myrtle's amazin', there's no doubt in my mind that it worked. But even if it didn't, I'll still love ya just the same. I'm right here... I'm not leavin' til you're ready to leave this bed too. Here... You want me to count down for you? Go three-two-one then you open those pretty, new eyes for me?"  
  
Cordelia nodded shyly, and she briefly brought her free hand to her lips and Misty thought she was going to start to cry, but thankfully it passed.   
  
"Okay, honeybee, you promise you'll open 'em after one?"  
  
"For you, anything. I promise."   
  
"Okay, I'm right here. Turn over just a bit, then you'll be lookin' right at me and you won't get the sun in your eyes..." She guided Cordelia to shift over under the blankets, cradling her face at just the right angle with her free hand and stroking slow, loving circles along her cheek. "Alright, ready? Three... Two... One..."   
  
She left enough of a pause between each number to make sure Cordelia had a chance to breathe before opening her eyes, and after one Misty was faced with a beautiful pair of mismatched brown and blue irises staring back at her.   
  
She almost missed Cordelia letting out a tiny gasp as she stared into the beautiful eyes, but smiled to herself when the sound registered.  
  
"Hi, gorgeous." She murmured, leaning in to press a kiss to Cordelia's cheek, unable to help her widening grin as she pulled back and finally gazed at the woman she loved and knew that she could look right back.  
  
"I can see you... I can see you!" Cordelia stated breathlessly at first, then more enthusiastically as it dawned on her. "Oh, Misty, I can see you!"  
  
Misty couldn't help but giggle at the elated statements, allowing Cordelia to pull her into a tight hug to celebrate her successfully regained sight.  
  
"That you can, baby. Hi, you..." She said again, mumbled into the softness of Cordelia's neck.  
  
"Hi... Wow. Here, come here, let me look at you again..." She insisted, pulling back from the embrace to cradle Misty's face in her hands, stroking her fingers along every inch of her skin in amazement.   
  
"It's really you... And you're here and you're _my Misty_ and you're so beautiful... So beautiful." She repeated, tucking a stray curl behind her ear as she smiled dreamily at her.  
  
Misty blushed at that, hanging her head humbly at the compliment.   
  
"You're sweet, Delia... So, do I live up to all your expectations? All those nights you got me describe myself to you, am I everythin' you pictured?"  
  
"Oh, sweetheart... Even better. More beautiful than I ever could have imagined. I finally feel whole again... And I don't have to miss you anymore." Cordelia sighed, smiling up at her as though she was the most gorgeous piece of art she'd ever seen. "Here, could I... Would you lay with me? I just want to be here with you for a little while, it's peaceful in here and with all of the girls gone." She asked quietly, already shifting backwards on the mattress and untucking the sheets to make room for Misty where she had just been for the last little while.   
  
Misty couldn't refuse _that_, smiling at Cordelia as she climbed onto the bed and under the sheets to face her, pulling them up to their shoulders and laying an arm over her waist for extra warmth. A soft, content sigh fell from her lips as Misty's warmth surrounded her middle and spread to the rest of her body, and Cordelia responded by guiding Misty to rest her head on her chest, tangling her fingers amongst her wild curls and beginning to give her a slow, soothing head rub.  
  
"Oh, no..." Misty spoke up softly, her eyes fluttering closed at the soothing motion, "Now I may never leave this bed if you keep that up."   
  
"That may or may not have been the intention, darling." She murmured, and the low tone to her voice and the chuckle she let out sent a chill down Misty's spine.   
  
"Mm, okay, no complaints here... Feels good."   
  
It was silent for a few more minutes, and Misty felt herself almost at the point of drifting off to sleep in Cordelia's arms when her name was said quietly.  
  
"Mist? You still awake?"  
  
"Think so... What's up?" She smiled softly to herself, lips still brushing Cordelia's neck. Even though she could see now, Misty knew it was going to take awhile to break their extra-physical habits.  
  
"I wish you really could stay... Even just for the afternoon. But the girls will be back soon, and Myrtle will probably want to check on me..." She admitted, and even though she tried to hide it Misty saw her wipe away a tear that had fallen on her cheek. Misty's heart broke for her in that moment, realizing that no love Cordelia had ever had had been without complication, and she wished so badly that she could fix it, take all of the pain and confusion and fucked up circumstances away to give her even just one day of carefree, easy, out in the open love.  
  
"I'm gonna fight for you." Misty spoke the words so softly, under her breath as if the whole world would hear if she raised her voice even just a fraction more, "I know you think it's me... The Supreme, I mean... So I'm gonna fight for it, for you. At first I didn't want it, and I still don't think I'm the right person for the job... But it's not just about me anymore, and if it means your happiness and protection from your nightmare of a mama, I'll make sure of it that I don't go down without a fight during the test. So then when all of this is over and we don't have anythin' to fear anymore, I'll be right here waitin' for you to love you and look out for you in every single way. Promise."   
  
She accentuated the promise with a kiss on Cordelia's lips, intending on it being short and sweet but taken by surprise when Cordelia only held on tighter, deepening it and shifting around until they were fully intertwined, her limbs wrapping around Misty's in every which way to prevent her from pulling back too soon.   
  
"You are amazing... No one's ever cared that deeply for me before." She sighed, leaving another round of softer, lighter kisses on Misty's lips as her hands settled in the small of her back. "I have no doubt in my mind that you'll pass every single one with flying colours. You're going to make an incredible Supreme, darling, I can feel it. And hey, in the meantime I still owe you that dinner date, I'm still planning on taking you up on that very soon once I'm used to these eyes." She giggled, playfully nuzzling her nose into Misty's hair when she settled on her chest again.   
  
"That should only take a day or so of walking around, so... How about Friday night? You, me, and that pretty little Italian restaurant I always hear you talking about?" She offered, one hand coming up to once again stroke lightly across Misty's cheek, unable to stop admiring just how beautiful she was in person, right in front of her and lying in her bed. She wanted to do this forever.  
  
"Mm, you already know I can't resist pizza! That sounds wonderful, honeybee." Misty nodded into her neck, leaving a tiny trail of kisses behind, "And I'll always take care of ya. Always."  
  
Cordelia was blown away yet again by how effortlessly Misty said the words and proclaimed her love repeatedly and in all different ways, societal norms and constructs unable to take control of her emotions in her time in exile. It was so _easy_ for her to just say that she loved Cordelia when it was what she felt, and she had envied Misty for it since that breath-stealing moment in the garden two nights ago.  
  
"You're so sweet... I'm so lucky to have you, and for you to have found me. I'm so grateful that you were brought here and that you, for whatever reason, wanted to get to know me..." She sighed, absentmindedly placing kisses along her face as her fingers began to stroke up and back down the length of Misty's back.  
  
"You were lonely," Misty began simply, shivering but giving a smile at the touch, "You were lonely and you had this light about ya, somethin' that just pulled me to you and refused to let me go until I broke open that shell of yours. I had to, you were callin' to me too." She smiled up at Cordelia then, trailing kisses up her neck, cheek, and finally coming to land on her lips when the words were out. They kissed for a few more minutes like that, soft and languid and blissful, when Cordelia felt an ache in her chest that compelled her to speak a triad of words that she never believed she would be lucky enough to use again. She knew they had been there, waiting patiently to bubble up despite all of her internal protests to them ever seeing the light of day, but she couldn't resist any longer.  
  
"That has to be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said about me, and this," She gestured around them, "Is by far the best that I've ever been treated by anyone. You've given me a whole world in such a short amount of time, I'm so thankful for you. And... Misty?"  
  
"Yes, darlin'?"   
  
"I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and your feedback on this lil guy, as always you can come find me @ thismasterpieceis0nlymine on Tumblr! ♡


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